Just The Two Of Us
by carissima
Summary: A Christmas story focusing on the BH friendship, set in S3. Written for a Christmas Exchange.


**AN: Um, let's not go into why I'm posting a Christmas story in February. This was written for Kristen as an exchange and to her requirements. I hope you enjoy.**

**Oh, and I'm a day late posting this because I had to give up halfway through as I had a headache, otherwise the story would have been half as short and finished in the middle of a sentence!**

**Pairing - Brooke/Haley friendship  
Rating - PG/PG-13  
Season - 3  
****Genre - Humor**

**Must include the phrase(s) -"You're like the little sister I never had, Haley," "I spent Christmas in the hospital once."  
Additional Requirements -Haley and Brooke spend Christmas together after everyone else in town ditches them to be with their family; must have some sort of fun in the snow and reflect on past Christmas memories.**

* * *

"Mmbubyuuh," mumbled Haley as she pulled the covers over her head.

"Come on!" Brooke pulled the covers back.

"MMBUBYUUH," Haley mumbled louder, yanking the covers back from Brooke.

"Stop being such a baby and get up!" Brooke reached under the covers and, finding Haley's middle, starting tickling.

"BROOKE!" Haley yelled, half-annoyed, half-giggling.

"You can't spend Christmas in bed," Brooke grinned as Haley's foot shot out from under the covers in her attempts to get away from Brooke's tickling.

"Watch me," Haley sulked before grabbing the covers and hiding underneath them again.

"Look, if you don't get out of bed, that means I'm going to have a crappy Christmas, all by myself in the other room. I'll have to eat microwave turkey and stuffing sandwiches and sit in front of the TV, watching stupid holiday movies and opening my one sad, lonely present," Brooke pouted.

"You'd be doing the same thing whether I'm in the room with you or not," Haley's muffled voice pointed out.

"But at least we'd be together and miserable!" Brooke whined.

"I don't have any holiday spirit," Haley mumbled.

"It snowed last night," Brooke said silkily.

"Really!" Haley's voice rose slightly with excitement.

"Honest to God, Haley. If you get out of bed and get dressed, we can build a snowman," Brooke bribed her.

"With a carrot nose and an old scarf?" Haley peeked out from under the covers and stared up at Brooke with puppy dog eyes.

"Of course!" Brooke jumped up and down, clapping in excitement.

"Okay!" Haley threw off her covers and climbed out of bed. "Go get the carrot and stuff while I get dressed."

"Yes boss," Brooke grinned wickedly in triumph before scooting off the bed and skipping out of the room.

Ten minutes later, Brooke and Haley ran downstairs, bundled up in hats, scarves and gloves, armed with various items of the boys' stuff that they could put on the snowman.

"This'll teach them to dump us for family Christmases," Haley muttered as she threw Nathan's jacket on the snow.

"I know!" Brooke huffed as she threw Lucas' scarf on Nathan's jacket.

"I don't see why Karen wouldn't let you join them for Christmas," Haley said as she threw Nathan's baseball cap onto Lucas' scarf.

"Lucas said she just wanted to spend time with him," Brooke growled as she threw a carrot on top. "I bet he didn't even ask her if I could spend the day with them."

"I bet Nathan didn't ask Dan either," Haley glared at Nathan's jacket. "Stupid quasi-boyfriend and quasi-husband."

"This Christmas sucks already," Brooke sighed as she kicked some snow.

"Hey, you were the one with all the holiday spirit ten minutes ago," Haley laughed.

"That was until I remembered why we're spending it alone," Brooke kicked the snow into a pile.

"Hey!" Haley picked up some snow and threw it at Brooke. "I am here, you know!"

"But it's not the same," Brooke threw some snow half-heartedly towards Haley. "I can't make out with you, or sit on your lap whilst watching _It's A Wonderful Life_ or pester you to make me hot chocolate."

"Well, okay, we can watch _It's A Wonderful Life_ because I have it on DVD somewhere. I'll make us some hot chocolate before the movie starts. And, yeah, I can't help you on the making out thing," Haley laughed as she packed the snow into a body shape.

"Really?" Brooke asked.

"Really," Haley promised. "But after we've made a snowman."

"Snowman Scott," Brooke mused as she patted some snow on the body Haley had shaped. "Lifeless, cold and unable to talk, yet still the best Scott in town."

Haley giggled as she dug around in the snow to find stones to put in the snowman's smile. "See, we don't need them to have fun."

"No, we don't," Brooke said firmly as she stood back to admire the snowman's build. "Especially since Lucas didn't give me a Christmas present."

"Nathan didn't either," Haley sighed. "Okay, no more talking about those two. We're going to have a great Christmas, just the two of us. And they'll wish they spent their Christmas with us."

"But … what else is there to talk about?" Brooke asked, confused.

"Lots of things!" Haley pushed her gently. "Those thoughtless Scott brothers aren't the only thing we can talk about."

"But that's what we spend most of our time talking about," Brooke pointed out as she wrapped Lucas' scarf around the snowman's 'neck'.

"That's so sad," Haley shook her head as she drew a smile with the stones she'd gathered.

"Well, there's also Peyton," Brooke suggested.

"Since she chose to spend Christmas with her dad, we're not talking about her either," Haley said firmly.

"Well, what else is there?" Brooke placed Nathan's jacket on its 'shoulders'.

"Well …" Haley trailed off.

Minutes passed in silence as Brooke gave the snowman a nose and Haley put the hat on its head.

"Oh, this is stupid! There must be something we can talk about that doesn't involve Peyton or a Scott!" Haley laughed.

"We could talk about how we make an awesome snowman," Brooke stepped back from their creation and grinned.

"We _do_ make an awesome snowman," Haley agreed as she stood next to Brooke.

"Come on, roomie," Brooke wrapped her arm around Haley's shoulders. "Let's go inside and make me that hot chocolate."

Once inside the apartment, Haley headed for the kitchen whilst Brooke threw off her hat and scarf and looked out of the window at their snowman.

"I've never made a snowman before," she mentioned idly.

"What!" Haley looked up and stared at her.

"When I was little, I was too small to make one by myself, and my parents were too busy to help me," Brooke shrugged. "Then, when I got big enough, I thought only kids made them."

"That's so tragic, Brooke," Haley giggled. "Lucas and I made a snowman every year until …"

"This year?" Brooke guessed.

"Yeah," Haley smiled ruefully. "I was too busy with Nathan and the tour, and Lucas was too busy …"

"With me and Peyton?" Brooke said with a sad smile.

"Something like that," Haley gave her a little smile.

"How long did it take to get the conversation back to them?" Brooke exhaled deeply.

"Sorry," Haley apologised as she handed Brooke a steaming mug and sat down on the couch.

"No, it's okay," Brooke took a seat next to her and curled her legs up underneath her body. "You're reminiscing, it's different."

"What's your favorite Christmas memory?" Haley asked.

"Well, I spend Christmas in the hospital once," Brooke shrugged.

"That's your favorite Christmas memory?" Haley giggled. "What did you do?"

"I slipped on the ice in my driveway and got concussion," Brooke laughed.

"Why's that your favorite memory?" Haley asked as she cradled her mug to warm her hands.

"My parents came to see me and weren't busy getting drunk or working," Brooke shrugged. "Peyton spend the evening with me and we watched _Home Alone_ together."

"_Home Alone_?" Haley laughed.

"It's a good movie!" Brooke protested.

"Yeah, okay," Haley snickered.

"Shut up!" Brooke laughed. "What's your favorite Christmas memory?"

"The Great Snowball Fight of '91," Haley sighed with a smile.

"Excuse me?" Brooke giggled.

"My sister, Taylor, decided to ambush Lucas, Karen and Keith when they came over for Christmas evening. That led to a very long, tiring and ultimately successful snowball fight, with me, Lucas, my Dad, Karen and Keith against Tay, my Mom and everyone else," Haley grinned.

"Taylor …" Brooke trailed off, deep in thought. "Oh my God! Taylor! Lucas told me about her and Nathan …"

"Yeah, let's not talk about it," Haley cringed.

"Sorry, Hales," Brooke grinned. "Sometimes I'm glad to be an only child."

"Can we change the subject please?" Haley laughed, swatting Brooke.

"Okay," Brooke took Haley's mug and walked to the kitchen to make more.

"Favorite present?" Haley asked with a yawn.

"Diamond earrings," Brooke sighed with a dreamy look on her face.

"Diamond earrings!" Haley stared at her.

"They were beautiful," Brooke murmured. "Why, what was yours?"

"My Easy-Bake Oven!" Haley's eyes lit up.

"A kids toy?" Brooke asked in disbelief as she filled the mugs.

"A kids toy? A kids toy!" Haley scoffed. "It was so much more than a kids toy. That Easy-Bake Oven is the reason we don't get takeout every night!"

"A toy kitchen doesn't compare to diamond earrings," Brooke insisted.

"To me, it does," Haley sighed. "I wanted one for years, but my parents never got me one. Then one Christmas, when everyone thought all the presents had been opened, my parents brought out this box and said it was for me. I still remember the butterflies I got in my stomach when I ripped open the wrapping and found the oven inside …"

"I'd still prefer the diamonds," Brooke grinned as she gave Haley her hot chocolate.

"Brooke!" Haley laughed. "You can't compare some expensive earrings you got last year to getting a present you've been dying to get for years."

"Maybe that's because some of us didn't ever get our Easy-Bake Ovens," Brooke said with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry," Haley said gently as she rubbed Brooke's arm.

"Hey, I got diamond earrings, don't feel too sorry for me," Brooke laughed.

"Yeah," Haley smiled.

"Okay, turkey sandwiches or movie?" Brooke asked brightly.

"I'll make the sandwiches, you get your covers and meet me back here in five minutes for _It's A Wonderful Life_," Haley decided.

"Deal," Brooke nodded before jumping up to get her covers.

Two hours later, Brooke and Haley were wiping their eyes as the film reached it's heart-warming climax.

"They all come and help him!" Brooke cried tearfully.

"And he thought the town would be better off without him!" Haley blew her nose nosily.

"All those people he helped …" Brooke wiped her face with the cover.

"It gets me every time," Haley sighed.

"Which is why, sometimes, _Home Alone_ is a good Christmas film," Brooke pointed out.

"It's not a good film just because it doesn't make you cry, Brooke," Haley laughed with a sniffle.

"I don't really feel like opening presents now," Brooke glanced over to where two lonely presents sat underneath a miniature Christmas tree.

"Me neither," Haley sighed.

"So what now?" Brooke laid back against the couch and stared up at the ceiling.

"It's snowing again," Haley said idly, looking out of the window.

"Gybuhrir," Brooke muffled as she pulled the cover over her head.

"What are you doing?" Haley laughed.

"Looking at snow makes me feel cold."

"Even though you're in an apartment with the heating on and sitting under a big cover?"

"Yes!" Brooke pouted.

"You want another hot chocolate? Would that help?" Haley grinned as she stood up.

"Yes," Brooke peered over the cover, mirroring Haley's earlier look.

"Okay," Haley grabbed the mugs and went to the kitchen.

"How many of those have we had today?" Brooke asked.

"Five each," Haley mentally counted.

"Shouldn't we be on a major sugar high or something?" Brooke sighed.

"Not when you're inhaling chocolate to forget boys," Haley said wisely.

"Stupid boys," Brooke muttered as she crawled from underneath the covers and stood up. "I bet they're having a great time."

"Lucas might be, but I doubt Nathan is," Haley said with a wicked grin.

"You're such a caring wife, Hales," Brooke shook her head as she clambered ungracefully onto a stool opposite her. "Oh, I know what we can do!"

"What?" Haley asked warily, knowing the look in Brooke's eyes.

"We can give you a makeover!" Brooke clapped excitedly.

"No," Haley shook her head. "Remember what happened the last time I tried to be something I wasn't?"

"This'll be different," Brooke waved Haley's concerns away.

"How?" Haley passed Brooke her mug.

"We'll just take Haley James-Scott and remind her of the girl who used to be Haley James," Brooke said.

"Um, Brooke? I'm the same girl," Haley laughed.

"No you're not," Brooke disagreed. "You never used to wear chunky jewellery like those earrings you're wearing. And you used to wear those hats. Nathan gave you the confidence to stop hiding behind those hats and wear what you wanted, but Haley James is still inside you somewhere."

"Okay, where's Brooke and what have you done with her?" Haley laughed nervously.

"If you've learned nothing else about me, Haley, you know that I know fashion," Brooke shrugged.

"So, what would you suggest?" Haley asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Dig out your old hats and wear them every now and again. Remind Nathan that you're the same girl you were when you fell in love, but that you've grown up too," Brooke said wisely. "And do something with your hair. You only ever wear it loose or in some elegant twist if you're trying to impress Nathan."

"I do not!" Haley protested.

"Sure you do," Brooke grinned, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"When did you get so smart?" Haley smiled sadly.

"Hey, I've always been smart!" Brooke huffed. "I'm just not smart like you and Lucas. Book smart. I'm more of a people person smart."

"Okay," Haley grinned. "Come on, help me find a new hairstyle."

An hour later, Brooke was giggling as she held up the mirror to see her latest creation.

"Brooke! I look like a poodle!" Haley laughed as she moved her head from side to side.

"I think the ribbons are cute," Brooke giggled.

"Next!" Haley hit Brooke's leg and began untying the ribbons.

Haley was sitting between Brooke's legs on the floor whilst Brooke was on the couch. She'd already tried several styles, including pigtails, Princess Leia buns and a simple ponytail with some soft wisps framing Haley's face that had been the favorite for both of them so far.

"You're like the little sister I never had, Haley," Brooke laughed as she twisted Haley's hair into a messy chignon. "Peyton would never let me play with her hair."

"My sisters used to play with my hair all the time. They all went through that hairdresser phase," Haley said.

"Do you ever miss them?" Brooke asked.

"Sometimes," Haley shrugged. "But they call and write all the time. And Nathan took me to see my parents a few months ago."

"How can he be so sweet and yet so insensitive?" Brooke sighed.

"Apparently, it runs in the family," Haley laughed.

"Lucky us," Brooke dropped Haley's hair and moved to sit next to her on the floor.

"At least we're abandoned together," Haley held out her pinkie.

"And we still have presents to open," Brooke grinned as she linked pinkies with her.

"Shall we open them now?" Haley asked.

"Yeah. Then we can watch another cheesy festive movie," Brooke grinned. "I think _Home Alone_ is on in a few minutes."

"Happy Christmas, Brooke," Haley laughed as she passed Brooke her present.

Opening it up, Brooke giggled as she saw a recipe book.

"No more takeouts," Haley laughed.

"Thanks, Hales," Brooke leaned over and hugged her before picking up the other present and giving it to her. "Merry Christmas."

Haley opened the present gingerly and a grin spread as she saw a framed picture of her with Brooke and Peyton, taken after the Open-Mic night at Karen's, on the basketball court as the guys played. Underneath was a picture in an identical frame of her and Nathan, taken the same night.

"Brooke, they're great," Haley's eyes filled.

"I've had them for ages, but I never really got a chance to give them to you, with what happened with me and Peyton and then you going on tour," Brooke shrugged, a little embarrassed.

"Thank you," Haley whispered before enveloping Brooke in a big hug.

A hammering on the door broke them apart.

Opening the door, Brooke and Haley stared at Nathan and Lucas, both of whom were carrying their clothes from the snowman, a badly wrapped present, and both of whom looked a little pissed.

Brooke and Haley glanced at each other before dissolving into giggles.


End file.
